CAREER: The Formation Epoch of Massive Galaxies

Yale University, New Haven CT

Investigators

Abstract

CAREER: THE FORMATION EPOCH OF MASSIVE GALAXIES ABSTRACT AST 0449678 Pieter van Dokkum Dr. Pieter van Dokkum, at Yale University, will undertake a program to provide information on the number of massive galaxies in the early universe, with an ultimate goal of constraining theories for galaxy formation. He will determine the number density, clustering properties, and physical properties of a population of high redshift galaxies with colors that are similar to nearby ones, suggesting a possible evolutionary connection. With this work, Dr. van Dokkum will investigate whether massive galaxies were assembled when the universe was ~2 billion years old, or if they consisted instead of small substructures, as predicted by many theories. Along with involving undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral personnel in the research, the CAREER related educational plan will build upon the science education and public outreach (EPO) program of the Yale Peabody Museum for Natural History. Dr. van Dokkum will add astronomy EPO programming, and build bilingual relations with the Hispanic and Latino communities.